Just last month, Michigan State sophomore guard Gary Harris was cleared to participate in staff-supervised workouts allowed by the NCAA as he recovers from a period of rest and rehabilitation in accordance with a nagging shoulder injury.

Despite the pain and discomfort, Harris played through the injury this past season, especially during the team’s Sweet 16 run. Harris however, was clearly not 100% and it was costly at times for the Spartans. In all, Harris can look back at his freshman season and be proud of what he accomplished, despite the injury. He was the obvious choice as the Big Ten Conference rookie of the year this past season after averaging 12.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.

After waffling for a bit on a decision whether or not he should enter his name into the NBA Draft, the injury and recovery process was just too much. Harris opted to decline shoulder surgery and instead rest and recover and things are now looking brighter and brighter in terms of his expectations for the 2013-14 season in East Lansing.

With that being said, so too are Michigan State’s opportunities of a National Championship. The Spartans have a nice collection of returning talent, but nobody is more important to their success than Harris — he burst onto the scene last year, looking like an upperclassmen rather than a freshman newcomer.

While it appears that Harris will be healthy without any question by the time the 2013-14 season arrives, expectations of a National Championship will be at the forefront for head coach Tom Izzo and the Spartans.